The Bartender Questions: How to Drink in Spring

How'd you get here? I was running a neighborhood bar in the East Village and was always a little more cocktail-minded. This opportunity came up, and I love the concept here. It's super social, and the scene is really fun and energetic. I tended bar for a year and a half, and now I develop cocktails.

There's a lot of wine here. We have this great wine wall, and we stock it full. There are maybe 2,000 bottles of wine. It's two levels.

What drink is Stanton Social known for? Our Jalapeño Blood Orange Margarita. It's our signature drink. We do a house infusion.

What's a cocktail everyone should know how to make for spring? If you can make yourself a solid margarita, you're doing well. I prefer agave syrup to Triple Sec, and super-fresh limes. There are great variations you can make on that, too. Find some fresh fruit from your supermarket and throw it in. [Ed. note: See how Wondrich does it.

What's the best drink you've ever had? I've had some great drinks, but there is a drink a friend of mine makes, called the Penicillin, which is lemon, ginger, honey, and blended Scotch, and then tops it with Laphraig, which is a super-smoky Scotch.

What do you have to keep behind the bar with you at all times? I need a really well-spun and well-weighted bar spoon. I like a julep strainer for my stirred cocktails, crushed ice, and bitters at all times.

Hangover cure? Watermelon.

Eating a watermelon? Yeah, it's hydrating and has a little bit of sugar.

The best bars are _____ bars. Weird. I like weird regulars, bottles of beer, pool, and jukeboxes. I love a weird bar.

What's the most ridiculous thing you've witnessed a customer do? There was a guy once who was laughing and sitting at the bar, making ridiculous comments, having a good time. He asked for his tab, signed it, turned to his right and clocked a complete stranger in the face. And just walked out of the bar.

Was the other guy okay? Yeah, he was fine. We bought him his drinks for the night.

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